The choice
by Konnar Wilson
Summary: My attempt at a story inspired by Sun Soul, another amazing piece of work. The main character finds an Eevee and comes to learn that he has a talent in helping pokemon evolve.
1. Return

Return

Lightning flashed across the battlefield leaving torrid scars slashed along the ground, all around men and women screamed. A Luxray, huge and panting stood over the bloody corpse of a Ryhorn, chest rattling from the poison that he had gotten a dose of earlier.

The trainer, also coughing blood screamed as the Luxray bit down, severing his arm held high to protect his life was almost immediately after silenced, the big blue beast shook the corpse around ensuring its demise. The act of doing so did several things, the first was to spray gore around, the second shook fear into his allies, and the third dislodged two unopened Poké balls into the nearby fray.

Feet stomped in the nearby mud as Rapidash and Zebrastrika with trainers mounted on the charged forward, one pokeball was crushed and shattered instantly, the other was kicked aside and into the murky waters of the river fifty yards off. Blood seeping into it from dead or dying combatants, rushing downstream in a mix with mud torn loose.

The pokeball knocked around by rough waters span in a flurry of motion, over white rapids several miles down and into the paws of a curious Buizel, playing with the red and white container until its interest was drawn elsewhere and leaving it to flow further downstream. The torrent of water dragging it miles away in a rush as it bobbed on the surface all the way, up and down, over and over, at some point into a large slow moving lake towards a tributary feeding out into the vast ocean.

A blue skinned smooth Quagsire collects it while exploring offshore, curiosity getting the better of it as it explores its new toy, not noticing the large Sharpedo sneaking up behind it before it launches itself out of the water, the quagsire clenched in its jaws biting it clean in half, swallowing the pokeball as It goes.

Days pass and eventually the Sharpedo regurgitates the indigestible, a watch, belt buckle, and the red and white orb. Floating again to the surface to orb is later swept into the mouth a large Basculin, sunlight glinting off its scales as it swims into another unknown tributary.

Spitting up the pokeball hundreds of miles from where it first fell its left floating towards the shore of a calm lakefront. Dipping in the moonlight the waves gently lap against the pebble stone beach pushing the orb into the view of a twelve year old boy, wading out into the icy water with tears still dropping from his face he clutched at the pokeball before the lake could reclaim it.

Pokemon were dangerous he knew, but the news of his father passing away recently defending their newly established town left him feeling numb and tired, caution had blown away with the wind whipping at the treetops.

A burst of light and the pokeball opened freeing the Pokemon encased inside for the previous month. Stretching its short legs and arching its catlike back an Eevee purrs with gratitude at release, shaking its fur loose from head to tail it spares an unconcerned glance at the boy before beginning to prune and clean itself.

"Uhh, hello?" He said, to which the Eevee replied with a blank stare, the sound shattering the silence kept by all but the wind whipping leaves around and the shoreline pestered by the gentle waves.

"I'm Nox, you're an Eevee right?" The boy said as he slowly began to edge his hand forward, hissing in response and baring four sharp canines the boy whipped the offered limb back to his chest.

Voice shaking a little he went on, "I know you used to be someone's, dad used to say you can tell a wild Pokemon from a trainers by the patience and ease they have around humans."Still keeping his hand withdrawn but edging closer slightly which again drew a hiss followed closely by a long drawn out deep rumble from within the Eevees chest, met by a deeper growl sounding from behind and the snapping of twigs announcing the presence of another.

Standing behind Nox stood a Mightyena growling and hunched low ready to pounce, it leapt into the air the moment he turned to look and fell upon the boy, a strong bite on his shoulder left him in agony as the sound of bones crunched beneath the fierce bloody jaws. A scream emerged from his lungs and was cut short as the hyena like pokemon threw him into the dirt, claws renting lines down his back. The Mightyena drew its head back for one final bite and a mass of brown fur threw itself at the open mouth, clawing the eyes and pushing the beast into a shocked defence, the Eevee raked its claws all over and held tight to the Mightyenas ears with the sharp canines that had earlier threatened Nox, now coming to his aid. Harassing the larger canine the Eevee fled at rapid speeds only to dart back in and hit it hard, each bite and scratch drawing blood until finally the tide turned and the Mightyenas patience paid off. Catching the Eevee by surprise the Canine bit down on a paw that raked its eyes moments before, blood splaying about as it ragged the Eevees feline body about.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Swinging a large piece of deadfall like a baton Nox brought it down solidly on the Mightyenas head with a resounding crack, snapping the water rotted wood in half. The ominous low growl again rumbled forth as it dropped the Eevee's now unconscious body, crouching low and prepared to spring a white flash passed it at great speed swinging a bladed scythe growing from its head as it passes. The Mightyena falls to the ground before an opportunity to react comes, with a great rent in its side blood pools around the body. Before blacking out Nox crawls towards the discarded Eevee and places a comforting hand on top of the blood matted fur. The slow draw of breath sends relief through the teenage boy and just before passing out his last view is that of an elderly man with a briefcase in hand and a tan overcoat shedding the rain that had begun to lightly fall.

"He's over here Birch!" The man in the overcoat called, a younger man in shorts and a white lab coat raced over on the back of a huge Aggron hunched on all fours, crushing and breaking trees as it came.

"The Mightyena has some some serious damage, did you see what happened Rowan?" The man known as Birch asked.

"Looks to me like he saw the Mightyena attacking the Eevee and faced it down, how foolish… And brave."

"He is both of them indeed, but can you see the potential in him?"

"He does seem to be his fathers son, to have an Eevee face down a Mightyena within seconds of meeting him is impressive, and for both of them to still be breathing is just as amazing."

"Let's get him to my lab, bring the Eevee, Slaking and I will grab the boy." Another burst of light and a huge ape came willingly forward wrapping his arms gently around the boy careful to avoid any further injury and followed behind the two professors back into the woods."


	2. Curiosity

The sun set as Nox and Rowan set out from the small town behind them, Nox had his Eevee on his customary place perched on his shoulder. Rowan walked with a hulking boldure flanking and a mienshao ahead.

"They said the tracks are large and strange, what do you think it might be?" Nox asked the man.

"Drunks tend to exaggerate, but my guess it's the turtwig we've been tracking to capture for you," replied Professor Rowan wiping the sweat from him brow, "only now it's a grotle and it's going to be even harder."

The last four years passed in a flash for Nox and his Eevee, after Birch and Rowan found them they nursed him back to health and taught him about Pokemon, Birch left to travel back to The Hoenn region a year later and Nox had been studying under Rowan since, he'd managed to capture a Starly and a Tediursa. The starly was down to it being separated from its flock, malnutrition was clear as its feathers were loose and a broken claw, but after some nursing and time spent it grew to trust Nox. The Teddiursa was a different one, after stumbling onto a wild Ursaring Nox and Rowan fought for their lives and a flash encounter left the cub without a soul in the world. The guilt led Nox to adopting the small

bear and he soon became a useful asset to the three Pokemon team.

"Either way, it's still causing an imbalance. The sickness it has is spreading, do you think it will be hard to catch?" Nox asked while scratching behind his Eevees ears in an absent minded manor.

"Harder than it would have been." And silence fell between the pair, each noting all the change in the environment. The greenery had flourished since the little Turtwig had arrived, it now being a Grotle meant that even more pollen was being released and even more growth hormone was being shared, the only problem with it was the fact that much of the pollen seemed to have an adverse effect on other Pokemon, such as horrific allergic reactions causing asphyxia in some cases.

Some time searching had led them to some significant tracks confirming Rowans guesses. "Nox, I need to ask you something."

"That sounds Ominous."

"I need you to travel to Sandgem, I placed an order there and it needs picking up, I know how you feel about leaving your mother for too long but I've spoke with her and she feels that you should travel a bit also. it's just the town over but I feel it would be best if you were accompanied by another."

After a moment's consideration Nox agreed.

Rowan continued walking without any concerns. "My niece Dawn may be willing to accompany you, she is heading that way tomorrow and I'd appreciate her having an escort also."

A rustle ahead cut the conversation short, as a solid thumping and a low pitched noise came from the shrubbery. Both trainers fell silent and found some cover, hoping they were still down wind.

"Remember, cut the dead and dying parts, it will be a struggle but you have to help it to gain its trust." Rowan affirmed.

The sounds of heavy footfall clear by the cracking branches under the feet of the large Grotle pushing its way free from the undergrowth. Maw filled with the low hanging leaves it had adapted so well to gnashing away, slowly grinding them down. A moment later and it began plodding towards the shoreline of Lake Verity.

The pair snuck forward and at Rowans nod, Nox and his Pokemon charged forward cutting the growing tank off from any escape. It bellowed in response, a bass hoot that shook the hairs on the back of his arms for a second before it began to charge, slow at first but gaining momentum and speed.

Teddiursa charged forward hitting breakneck speeds on all fours before leaping high onto Grotles back, claws digging into the shell, the Starley harassing its face landing solid whacks with its wings. Eevee jumped from Nox's back and ran parallel, shoulder checking at just the right moment to trip it. Nox ran forward and slammed the butt of a readied baton into the Grotles head, slamming it down again with all the force in his body.

"Calm down! We're not going to hurt you, you just need to have your shrubs trimmed!" Nox shouted at the beast, all the while trying to help pin it.

Pushing its way back up it began to try spinning throwing Nox and the Teddiursa free. His Starly began to try and tear parts of the shrubbery off with sharp talons and a piercing beak, Eevee now jumped up and attempted the same.

The moment the infected shrubbery fell away, the grotle seemed to calm, its head a daze still spinning and judgement clouded it tried to take a bite out of Nox who was now pinned underneath the beast. Nox threw his batton up between the jaws and held firm with both hands.

"Eevee, quick attack with Teddiursa! Starly, pull from the other side!" A quick burst of commands and the Pokemon leapt to obey, a coordinated strike knocked the Grotle to the ground upside down, Nox jumped up and threw the pokeball before his Teddiursa could get its claws into the Grotles soft underbelly.

A flash of light and the Pokemon was contained in the ball, the adrenaline rushing out of Nox's body with a deep breath and exhale. Teddiursa stood panting, a blood lust plain to see, as t advanced on Nox slowly.

"Teddiursa! Calm!" Commanded Nox with a hand raised before him and the held batton by his side. "That's enough now."

The small beast shook its head and then looked up innocently. "Nice work, you're beginning to read their movements better, few can calm a raging Teddiursa with voice alone."

"It's not easy Rowan, sometimes I wonder if I should be using it for captures at all, he's hard to control and as he frowns he's only going to get harder." Replied Nox.

"Yes but give him the training he needs and he will be infallible." Rowan said all the while keeping his eyes on the Grotle.

"You're right I know you are, but it doesn't make it any easier putting up with little scamps temper tantrums." Nox clearly referred to the Teddiursa affectionately, crouching down and ruffling the fur on its back as he did so.

"Nice work catching the Grotle, I need some samples to see what caused it to act so erratically. It's most unusual for them to try and bite when they're completely vegetarian." Rowan leant down and collected some of the cuttings, "this isn't good. That Grotle may have to stay with me, and I'll have to check over your Eevee and Teddiursa. These leaves are covered in mild, it could mean type 3 pokerus virus."

"Really? That's bad right?" Asked Nox.

"It can be treated, but if it's progressed too far it could end up exhausting its life, it could be what's prompted the rapid evolution." Scratching his head as he returned to Nox he began to inspect the Eevee thoroughly, he then turned his attention to the Teddiursa and warily began to poke and prod it to check behind its claws and in its mouth.

"Well, it's looking good but it's best to put them on a course of Antibiotics regardless. You can pick them up from Sandgems laboratory facilities, I'm going to need to go ahead with your Grotle though, let your mother know where you're going and tell Dawn that you need to leave tomorrow morning." He grabbed a pokeball as he spoke and reached for the new Pokemon, throwing his high and catching the ball as it came down a large drifblim floated towards him and he clutched at the base lifting off with great speed before the Pokemon wrapped a wraith like limb around him and flew further northward out of sight.


End file.
